The Responsibility of Investing

With just weeks to go until COP30 in Belém, Brazil, the world’s attention is turning to how global climate commitments can move from promise to practice. Investors are central to this shift — from financing the transition to engaging with policymakers - all of which we’ll be discussing at PRI in Person in São Paulo, just days before COP30 kicks off. In this episode, Tamsin Ballard, Chief Investor Initiatives Officer at the PRI, speaks to Ana Toni, CEO of COP30, about the critical role of the investment community in shaping outcomes at this year’s UN Climate Conference.

Overview

COP30 marks a pivotal moment: the first time all elements of the Paris Agreement’s “full cycle” come into play. Countries must submit their decarbonisation and adaptation plans through to 2035, setting the framework that will guide both public and private capital flows. Against the backdrop of worsening climate impacts — and all this as the Amazon rainforest hosts — the stakes for implementation have never been higher.

Ana Toni outlines her three cross-cutting priorities for COP30:

  1. Protecting the multilateral system to ensure global cooperation.
  2. Connecting global negotiations to everyday realities of consumption, financing, and business.
  3. Accelerating implementation — shifting from frameworks to real-world action.

Detailed Coverage

  • Why COPs matter: From the Paris Agreement to carbon market reforms, COP outcomes shape financial systems, consumer choices, and long-term investor strategies.
  • Decade after Paris: Governments now must present their 2035 climate plans, providing clarity and certainty for private sector investment.
  • The finance dimension: COP30 will build on COP29’s focus on climate finance, aiming to mobilise far greater flows of capital — especially to developing countries.
  • Risks and opportunities for investors: Climate change presents both physical and financial risks, but also growth opportunities in renewable energy, agriculture, sustainable infrastructure, and emerging markets.
  • Investor engagement: COP30 is positioned as a platform for matchmaking — connecting regulators, private sector innovators, and financiers to accelerate solutions in areas like SAF, green hydrogen, and agriculture.
  • From promise to practice: Both PRI in Person (São Paulo) and COP30 (Belém) are highlighted as forums where investors can move beyond commitments into specific, scalable solutions.

Chapters

  • 00:43 – Setting the stage: COP30 and investor relevance
  • 02:31 – Role of the COP30 CEO and the negotiation process
  • 04:09 – Why COP decisions affect finance and daily life
  • 06:37 – Priorities and hopes for COP30
  • 10:17 – 2035 plans and Paris Agreement “full cycle”
  • 12:51 – Risks and opportunities for investors
  • 16:54 – Practical ways investors can engage with COP30
  • 19:14 – PRI in Person as a platform for dialogue
  • 22:27 – The responsibility of investing: acting now for the long term

For more information on PRI in person, or its plans for COP30, please visit the following links:

PRI in Person 2025 - 4-6 November

The Road to COP30

Keywords

COP30, UN Climate Conference Brazil, PRI podcast, responsible investment, climate finance, Paris Agreement, 2035 climate plans, sustainable investing, implementation, investors and COP, green hydrogen, SAF, just transition, climate risk management, emerging markets, biodiversity finance, systemic risk, long-term investment strategies, sustainable agriculture, energy transition

What is The Responsibility of Investing?

The Responsibility of Investing (formerly The Principles for Responsible Investment) is a podcast by the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), the world’s largest global body on responsible investment, representing over $128 trillion in assets under management. Each episode features conversations with thought leaders and experts from around the world, exploring how sustainable factors are transforming the investment landscape. Listen for unique insight into how climate, nature and human rights issues are affecting asset classes and responsible investment policies. 
 
The series helps PRI signatories - and the wider investment community - navigate responsible investment with greater precision and confidence, for the benefit of both investors and society. No matter your size, market, nor stage of the responsible investment journey, The Responsibility of Investing will bring you a new perspective every fortnight.